The present invention relates to hollow bodied bowed string instruments such as standing bass, violin/fiddles and cellos. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device to replace the standard tail piece to connect the strings to the sound box.
Hollow body bow stringed instruments are well known and have well established construction techniques. These types of instruments are made up of more than 70 parts, all of which are typically made of wood, except for the strings and tail-piece fastenings. The wood pieces are glued together to form the instrument.
Such instruments include a sound box having a finger board connected thereto. The strings are attached to an end of the finger board and to a tail piece, which is in turn attached to the rear of the instrument via fastenings. Nothing is actually attached to the top plate of the sound box. This fastening scheme supports the pressure imparted on the instrument due to the tension of the strings.
These instruments produce their sound when the string begins to vibrate. The string vibrations are sent through the bridge, which transmits them to the top of the instrument. A sound post under the bridge transmits the vibrations to the back of the instrument.
The beautiful sound produced by the members of the violin family depends on all the parts of the instrument vibrating freely. Instrument makers have experimented over the centuries to create the best shape for the instrument and to find the best wood to maximize the vibrations. The present invention has expanded upon this evolution by improving the sound quality.
All US patents and applications all other published documents mentioned anywhere in this application are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Without limiting the scope of the invention in any way, the invention is briefly summarized in some of its aspects below.
The present invention is directed toward hollow bodied bow string instruments. It relates to the method used to attach the instruments strings at the end opposite the adjustment or tuning mechanisms. Instead of using a tail piece used in convention violins, the present invention uses an anchor piece which is attached directly to the top of the instrument. The anchor piece also comprises a secondary bridge for the strings. The present invention places additional energy into the top of the instrument producing acoustical benefits. The extra pressure placed on the top plate makes it more responsive, as well as louder.